Tags: Church & State
Church of England’s establishment is well past its sell-by date
Posted: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 by Terry Sanderson
By Terry Sanderson, president, National Secular Society
We've argued for a long time that the establishment of the Church of England as an arm of the state is unsustainable in a modern, diverse society. Last night's vote at the General Synod to reject women... Read More »
Church of England’s establishment is well past its sell-by date
Posted: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 by Stephen M Evans
By Terry Sanderson, president, National Secular Society
We've argued for a long time that the establishment of the Church of England as an arm of the state is unsustainable in a modern, diverse society. Last night's vote at the General Synod to reject women... Read More »
The new Archbishop should have no special say
Posted: Sat, 10 Nov 2012 by Oliver Kamm
The Times's top leader yesterday welcomed the appointment of Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, to succeed Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury. From what I hear of Welby, he is a thoughtful man who is likely to be an effective Church leader. Where I differ... Read More »
Baroness Warsi needs to be challenged on her theocratic ambitions
Posted: Tue, 16 Oct 2012 by Terry Sanderson
We think it is important to track what the Government is doing in our name, and so we are reproducing below a statement by Baroness Warsi that was published in The Tablet this week.
You will remember that Baroness Warsi is the rather elaborately titled "Senior... Read More »
Politicians and “faith leaders” make a gruesome combination
Posted: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 by Terry Sanderson
Many will write it off as red meat being thrown to the raving fundamentalists on the back bench of the Tory Party, but the appointment of Baroness Warsi as "Minister for Faith and Communities" is potentially threatening for secularism.
She recently held a meeting... Read More »
Are parliament’s theocrats about to have their day?
Posted: Mon, 10 Sep 2012 by Terry Sanderson
When the Conservative-led coalition Government came to power at the last election we braced ourselves for a raised profile for religion in matters of state.
What transpired, though, were several confrontations between religious groups and Mr Cameron's "modernising"... Read More »
Ireland awaits Human Rights report on its abortion law
Posted: Tue, 28 Aug 2012 by Claire McCormack
By Claire McCormack
Ireland awaits a September report on its abortion laws by a European Court of Human Rights panel of experts at a time of rising political tensions over the issue and a backdrop of steep declines in the popularity of religion.
In Ireland ,... Read More »
Is the Church of England at death’s door or has it found a new lease of life?
Posted: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The Church of England is either in its last desperate death throes or it is making a concerted effort to revive itself and reclaim the widespread influence it once enjoyed. At its General Synod (parliament) this week it got itself into a humiliating tangle... Read More »
Rowan Williams has acquired a backbone – but it’s all too late
Posted: Thu, 28 Jun 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams is demob-happy.
It seems that since he announced his resignation he feels he can now say what he wants, rather than what the "Anglican Communion" demands. And in the process he seems to be demonstrating an extraordinary... Read More »
The Catholic push for power is failing
Posted: Fri, 22 Jun 2012 by Terry Sanderson
Yesterday the Catholic Church in America began a campaign it calls "A Fortnight for Freedom" which it says is an effort to raise awareness among Catholics of the threats to their religious liberty. In particular they want to "raise awareness" about the Obama... Read More »
Religious people should recognise that secularism benefits them, too
Posted: Tue, 19 Jun 2012 by Mary Draycott
The outcry against not having prayers during council meetings is presented as some huge attack against Christianity. But this misses the point. Even Baroness Warsi, Minister without Portfolio, waded in and lectured the Pope and his cardinals that they had... Read More »
Why the Church must not win in this confrontation with the state
Posted: Tue, 12 Jun 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The Church of England has thrown down the gauntlet to the Government over the issue of gay marriage.
The message is clear: "do as we say or there will be dire consequences."
Their response to the Government consultation on its intention to legalise civil marriages... Read More »
Not a “slip of the tongue”: only one religion is recognised as the basis of the Turkish state
Posted: Wed, 30 May 2012 by Halil M. Karaveli
By Halil M. Karaveli
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently expressed allegiance to "one nation, one flag, one religion, one state." Indeed, the Turkish republic recognizes only "one religion", Sunni Islam, as the basis of the nation. Erdoğan is nonetheless... Read More »
Not a “slip of the tongue”: only one religion is recognised as the basis of the Turkish state
Posted: Wed, 30 May 2012 by Halil M. Karaveli
By Halil M. Karaveli
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently expressed allegiance to "one nation, one flag, one religion, one state." Indeed, the Turkish republic recognizes only "one religion", Sunni Islam, as the basis of the nation. Erdoğan is nonetheless... Read More »
The Catholic Church is trying to flex its political muscle to humiliate Obama – but does it still have the strength?
Posted: Thu, 24 May 2012 by Terry Sanderson
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York has ramped up the Catholic Church's politically motivated assault on the Obama administration by accusing the President of "strangling" religious freedom by requiring Catholic employers to provide workers with birth control... Read More »
The need for secularism in a superdiverse society
Posted: Thu, 10 May 2012 by Stephen Evans
The Westminster faith debates concluded last week with a debate on religious trends. According to the research presented, religion in the UK is changing, but not disappearing.
Summing up the findings from the £12m Religion and Society research programme,... Read More »
Asking the impossible? Lebanon’s march for secularism
Posted: Tue, 08 May 2012 by Alex Rowell
While in most respects the previous seventeen months have seen undreamt-of victories for civil liberties in the Middle East, there is one crucial measure by which things have not improved, and in fact threaten to worsen considerably: the separation of religion... Read More »
There is no persecution or sidelining of Christianity in Britain
Posted: Thu, 05 Apr 2012 by Oliver Kamm
By guest blogger, Oliver Kamm
Christianity, says Lord Carey of Clifton, is under threat. The former Archbishop of Canterbury complained recently of "a deliberate attempt ... to get rid of Christianity as a public faith". Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary,... Read More »
Prime Minister’s dissembling, hypocritical and disingenuous speech to religious leaders
Posted: Tue, 03 Apr 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, gave an Easter reception for Christian leaders at Downing Street this week at which he delivered an unctuous speech of such disingenuousness and hypocrisy that it almost takes the breath away.
He starts by saying he welcomes... Read More »
Why militant secularism is for believers, too
Posted: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The New Scientist magazine had an interesting series of articles about the "science of religion" last week (which will be available free for a few more days to those who register on the site). It was all summed up in an editorial that advised "secularists"... Read More »
Why militant secularism is for believers, too
Posted: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The New Scientist magazine had an interesting series of articles about the "science of religion" last week (which will be available free for a few more days to those who register on the site). It was all summed up in an editorial that advised "secularists"... Read More »
Why militant secularism is for believers, too
Posted: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The New Scientist magazine had an interesting series of articles about the "science of religion" last week (which will be available free for a few more days to those who register on the site). It was all summed up in an editorial that advised "secularists"... Read More »
The Church of England – myth and reality
Posted: Thu, 22 Mar 2012 by Terry Sanderson
We are told constantly how important the Church of England is to this country and how fond of it we all are. That doesn't sit very well with the result of a BBC survey for the quiz show Pointless that asked 100 respondents to name Archbishops of Canterbury.... Read More »
Without a pack of lies to back them up, Christian claims of persecution fall flat on their face
Posted: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 by Terry Sanderson
The old adage "never believe what you read in the newspapers" has never been as apposite as it has been over the past week.
The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail have surpassed themselves with headlines about the wearing of Christian crosses at work.
The Mail... Read More »
Mr Pickles “community cohesion” policy is a recipe for conflict
Posted: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 by Terry Sanderson
Why is the Coalition Government increasingly embracing the policy of the US Republicans of appropriating religion for political purposes? It's not even as though it works very well for the GOP. In fact, Rick Santorum's present display of religious zealotry... Read More »
